Official: Craigslist to replace 'blatant Internet brothel'

[AlphaCentauri]

Source: CNN

Craigslist will replace its controversial online "erotic services" listings with a section where ads are individually checked by Craigslist employees before they are posted, according to Connecticut Attorney General Richard Blumenthal.

The popular national classified-ad Web site -- which Blumenthal called "a blatant Internet brothel" -- has been accused by law enforcement officials across the United States of promoting prostitution through its erotic ads.

"Craigslist is heeding our clear call for conscience and common sense, sending a strong signal that Internet sites must police themselves to protect others," Blumenthal said.

Craigslist representatives met in New York last week with Blumenthal and the attorneys general of Missouri and Illinois, all of whom asked the company to shut down its "erotic services" sections in their states.

Cook County, Illinois, Sheriff Thomas Dart called Craigslist "the single largest source of prostitution in the nation."



Read more: http://www.cnn.com/2009/TECH/05/13/craigslist.sex.ads/

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Why not just legalize prostitution?

[mikelgb]

1. Ahhh! Everybody is "doing -it"

MUST STOP

[Wapsie B]

2. If that's the case then they need to better screening on the regular dating section.

Many of those ads are from spammers & prostitutes as well, overwhelming the legitimate posters there.

[Blue_Tires]

13. and on top of that...

they better start screening almost EVERY mainstream personals site from yahoo to AFF to plentyoffish...all are overflowing with prostitution/porn spammers...

[Freddie Stubbs]

23. And this will only drive more of those people to the dating boards

[imdjh]

3. It's gone to the dogs anyway

You used to see some fairly decent stuff on there, locals looking for some extra cash (or even legitimate massage ads) - but lately you see more and more spam and people who look like they would work for meth.

[The Hope Mobile]

4. Good idea!

I hope that the people they send to investigate are careful and go in teams.

I think the personal ads would be very hard to keep track of and screen if they went in that direction.

[bitchkitty]

8. You think they would check them out in person?

Craigslist is nationwide - they wouldn't have the staff for that.

[The Hope Mobile]

9. That's what the article stated that they were going to do for the erotic services

screen them all with craigslist employees. First sentence of the OP. I would think that it might end up being more financially prohibitive to them than just eliminating that section all together but we'll see.

[bitchkitty]

25. Screening them doesn't mean sending

people out to meet them in person. That is ludicrous, it would never work. Who would absorb the cost? Craigslist? I think ads are free. The sex professionals paying to place the ads?

[The Hope Mobile]

26. The ads are free (at least the regular ads) but craigslist

obviously makes money somehow. They don't say how they plan to screen but I'm sure it requires some leg work. As I said, I think it could turn out to be too cost prohibitive for them.

[Politicalboi]

5. Legalize Prostitution

What will the churches say. :hide: How will they explain it too their children. :hide: Legalizing prostitution would make sense like legalizing pot. We will have none of that.

[sarcasmo]

6. That is the real answer that no Politician will ever touch. Legalize and tax Prostitution.

[floridablue]

7. Senator Vitter would love you, except for the tax part.

[AlphaCentauri]

12. Clinton fired Dr. Jocelyn Elders for supporting masturbation

Canada and Europe have legal prostitution, it's a shame that we live in the XXI century with a XIX century mind set

[shadowknows69]

15. Clinton clearly didn't support himself with masturbation enough

Sorry, couldn't resist.

[AlphaCentauri]

19. I was surprised that his definition of sex wasn't

Masturbation with a foreign organ

[Politicalboi]

16. LOL!

I remember that. I couldn't believe Clinton let her go after that. I guess don't ask don't tell went futher than we thought. I'm sure that is why we are not all blind now. :rofl:

[safeinOhio]

14. They should at least

Legalize handjobs. Safe, quick and effective. A $5.00 tax would balance a bunch of state budgets. Also bring down the unemployment rate.

[marshall]

22. Throw in a voter's registration with every handjob and you've got Congressional gold!

And while we're at it, bring back Dr. Elders! She truly was a woman ahead of her time.

[shadowknows69]

30. Actually she was a classic

She simply spoke the truth about one of humanity's oldest impulses. I'd even wager money that Adam "Knew himself" before he may have ever gotten with Eve. You want to know how the equipment operates first.

[Dappleganger]

10. They'll only hide their ads elsewhere.

I know that CL is very libertarian but this is perfect proof of that philosophy gone wrong--people aren't always good, that's the problem. He says not to sell puppies and not to advertise breeding but it happens every day of the week, the same nasty BYB'ers and puppy mills, as well as n'er do wells who pick up free pets then resell them on CL. He thinks that keeping them to one forum is the answer and that the community will control it with flagging. Well guess what, that's not happening and the byb'ers have an even better (and FREE) place to advertise and turn over their little home business.

[saigon68]

11. Cook County, Illinois, Sheriff Thomas Dart Needs A "LEWINSKY"

Its obvious he is Uptight and needs a little "Release"

[winyanstaz]

17. Legalizing prostitution would be the best way for sure to end the problems...however..

I have to ask..why do americans approve of the government taxing every single aspect of their lives? Now they are even calling for a tax on sex?
Keep your taxes out of peoples pants!!!!!
Where in the Constitution does it say that the government is entitled to a tax on every single item and way we might exchange goods or services? Its brain washing people...we do not owe the government a part of everything. They get plenty already..enough is enough!

[Name removed]

18. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[Doctor_J]

20. Dammit. Now I'll have to start hanging out in bars

too expensive

[HopeHoops]

21. This is REALLY going to be a problem.

I mean, what will they do at the next GOP convention? I guess they'll have to go back to the yellow pages.

[rayofreason]

24. I wonder...

If this will have a "happy ending?"

[Kablooie]

27. So now someone has to come up with Prostituteslist.com

[daleo]

28. The corporate media would like to kill Craigslist

It basically clobbered the newspaper classified ads, which was a very lucrative source of money for the corporate media. Bear that in mind when they talk about Craigslist.

[DCKit]

29. Why are these tight-assed pricks so damn terrified of sex? It's unhealthy.

They're obsessed and repulsed simultaneously then horrified that anyone else is getting some - far more so when the subject is "Teh Gay".

If they didn't creep me out so badly, I'd feel a little sympathy. But anyone that weirded out about sex just isn't safe around children, animals, innocent adults or unsuspecting inanimate objects. They're capable of anything.